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A rare 15-foot python has escaped from its cage and has been on the loose for several days in Los Angeles.
The 15-foot-long reticulated python is a private pet that escaped from a home in the Chatsworth Neighborhood last week and has picked up the attention of the local news.
After futile attempts to find the snake, the owner joked that it’s ‘the one spot that you don’t check, that’s going to be where she’ll be.’ Which, uh, yeah. The snake is probably in a spot that hasn’t been checked.
ABC7 News in Los Angeles notes that the 15-foot snake doesn’t really represent a threat to humans. However, any pets that spend time outdoors may be at risk should this python be in the area.
Reticulated pythons can fetch thousands of dollars and are a very popular pet for reptile lovers. And if ’15 feet’ sounds long, the reticulated python is the longest species of snake in the world.
One reticulated python named Colossus which called the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium home in the 1950s and 1960s is believed to be the longest recorded specimen. Colossus measured 28 feet, 7 inches long.
Let that sink in for a moment. This snake species is capable of growing to nearly 30 feet long. That’s the stuff of science fiction.
The 15-foot python loose in Los Angeles’ Chatsworth neighborhood is aptly named Big Mama. And Big Mama’s owner is seeking any tips or help in recovering their lost pet.
Should you encounter this snake in LA, they have listed their contact information on the My Chatsworth Facebook page. They write that their son is “extremely sad” they lost the family pet.
I had pet snakes as a kid, a few different species of boa constrictors and not pythons. But they are pets just like any other pets in a household. And when they’re gone that loss is real. So let’s all help get this snake home.